Gurgl is used to refer to two resorts, Obergurgl and Hochgurgl, located at the end of the Otz Valley near Austria’s border with Italy. Obergurgl sits at 1,930m, while Hochgurgl is reached via the Top Express Gondola. Gurgl is renowned for its uncrowded and unhurried ambience, and is very private, if a little expensive, hence its appeal to the rich and famous.
With a population of just 420, Gurgl is a typical small Austrian ski resort village situated amid soaring mountains. There are a few sights around the village worth exploring, most notably the Gothic 18th century St Johannes Nepomuk Church (Europe’s highest); the Piccard Monument, in memory of the forced landing of Auguste Piccard on the Gurgl Glacier on May 27, 1931; and the quaint 150-year-old Pirchhütter Kornmuhle water mill.
The accommodation is a pleasant mix of modern, tastefully adorned hotels along with traditional inns and guesthouses. While the resort caters to the more affluent, it is still possible to find reasonable priced accommodation suitable for families on a budget. Après-ski consists of five bar/restaurants, several cafés, four discos, four ice bars, a casino, folklore evenings and concerts; while up on the slopes are nine mountain restaurants with stunning views. There is also a kindergarten to look after the little ones while you ski or snowboard.
Gurgl skiers constitute an older crowd, more interested in rounded turns than straight-line schusses. There are 110kms of groomed runs catering to all levels of ability, with 23 lifts creating a lift capacity of 37,000 skiers per hour. Snowboarders are provided with a terrain park and a half-pipe. Best of all, top snow conditions are guaranteed from mid-November through April.
If Gurgl seems too tame for you, there is always the wilder Solden ski resort 20 minutes back up the Otz Valley to challenge you. Highlights at Solden include two skiable glaciers as well as a much livelier après-ski scene. Also, from one vantage point above Solden, you can look towards the area where the 4,000-year-old Ice Man of Similaun was found several years ago. If bad weather sets in, Tyrol’s capital, Innsbruck, is just an hour away.
The best deals to be had at Gurgl are the Ski-Fit weeks in December and Powdersnow weeks in January. Gurgl is convenient to Innsbruck and Munich airports, while Otztal is the nearest railway station.
